No charges to be filed in stabbing

A Cortez man accused of stabbing another patron outside Blondie’s Pub and Grill on Aug. 16 will not be charged with any crime, according to the district attorney’s office.

According to the Cortez Police Department report, Mark Dunn stabbed Josh Pankoff twice as the two prepared to fight outside of the bar.

District Attorney Russell Wasley on Wednesday said the evidence shows that it would be difficult to obtain a conviction against Dunn.

The DA’s office received the evidence in the case Aug. 23, and said it needed to review the documents before making a decision.

Wasley said witnesses told investigators that the stabbing was done in self defense.

“Given the witness statements now, the DA will not be filing charges at this time,” Wasley said.

The police department had asked the DA’s office to file charges for first-degree assault and menacing.

Pankoff, according to a police report, said he was in town for work and had gone to Blondie’s with a friend and saw the man identified as Dunn, who he said was boasting to others about his time spent in the military and his experience with knives and guns.

After growing tired of listening to Dunn, Pankoff said in the police report that he challenged Dunn to fight. The two went outside and that was when Dunn pulled out the knife.

Pankoff told officers that when he saw Dunn with the knife, he dared him to use it, saying, “If you think you are tough, go ahead and stab me.” Dunn reportedly then stabbed him before fleeing down the alley.

Cortez police were unsuccessful in locating Dunn that night.

According to the police report, Pankoff had wounds to his stomach and right arm. Neither were life-threatening, although the arm wound required surgery.